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Dear Sir:

I have long hold fast to the concept that the people of St Vincent and the Grenadines are efficient at one thing and that is to present mediocrity and dress it up as if it is their best. For too long we get all excited over poor performances, presentation and attitude, lending a patronizing attitude to such because the person maybe holds a place of influence in the community or they are in a position to do something for us.

So we lie through our teeth and we gang up against people who hold fast to truthfulness and integrity. In other words, the Vincentian has been transformed into a community of petty liars and a bunch of first class hypocrites. A people who only has weak character to leave for the next generation; a curse we should all avoid.

It is important for us to understand that it doesn’t take any guts, strength of character or integrity to be in agreement with one who is in a position of power, influence, wealth and or authority. However it takes balls to stand up and be an objective voice even if you are and were wrong when doing it.

The above reflection brought me back to my Bermuda situation. I was living in a country where I did not have any supportive network system; I did not have any family on the island of Bermuda and I had very few friends. As if a situation could not have gotten any worse, my profession whilst there was a barrier in developing a support network. For I was a police officer who was not afraid to execute my duty within the perimeter of what was good for the community and within the confines of the law.

Bearing in mind the above conditions, under which I was living in Bermuda, I had a bitter falling out with the management of the institution with whom I was employed: the Bermuda Police Service. This in itself created a set of dynamics that could have broken the average person. For I had fellow countrymen, who were employed in the same institution as I was, who were performing extremely poorly in their duties, who took the opportunity to turn against me to ensure their contract was not prematurely terminated, for the simple fact they were incompetent police officers; there were those who came around under the instruction of those who wanted my hide with the sole purpose of setting me up to be arrested (thank Yahweh his wisdom in me prevailed) and there were others, who for the sake of collecting information to be used against me, came to me, pretending to be my friend.

There were those within the ranks who saw my unfortunate circumstances as an opportunity to benefit themselves and without skipping a beat they quickly jumped on the bandwagon, creating for themselves a vehicle for quick upward mobilization. Still there were others who sympathized with me and my situation; however, they were too afraid of becoming victims of the corrupt culture that existed in Bermuda, especially the Bermuda Police Service and so they failed to lend an encouraging or supportive word in my time of distress but they were fearless to publicly criticize me in my absence, presenting an exhibition for the bosses.

It was the simple courage that resided in Leroy Freddy Adams, whose unique courage is seldom seen exhibited in Vincentians that benefited me. He ignored the warnings and other method of discouragement. He always remembered that he and I were/are friends. As a result, Freddy was the only Vincentian who stood at my side through it all; he was a vital source of strength of support in a time when I really needed it. It is said, the only time you can measure the quality of a friend and the value of a friendship is when you are in trouble. Leroy Freddy Adams has proven to be a true friend.

Thanks to the help, support and encouragement of Freddy, I was able to display the strength of character and a subtle dignity that was required to see me through that very tremulous time in my life and because of that experiences, I am a stronger and better man for it. It is unfortunate that even up to today, some four years later, my friend Freddy is still a victim of the support he loaned to me when I really needed it. But that is an issue for another time and day.

Today, we have many people who write on this and other forums, who spend their time supporting the ignorance, corruption and other foolish actions and behaviour of those in authority in St Vincent and the Grenadines. They do so with an awareness that their actions are wrong but they do so with a level of arrogance that can frighten the weak and unlearnt into accepting what they say or else. It is unfortunate that their only reason for doing such is for recognition, reward and to distract the people from their reality. These are characterless, dishonest men and women with no spine, balls, guts and courage. For it take more guts to object to the wrong of a friend, or to stand up to the ills of an associate, or come out in protest against the malpractice of an adversary than to agree with them.

When we agree for the sake of agreeing, we help no one, but when we lend an objective voice everyone benefits. We must come to the reality that even an insecure, old lady, whose life is threatened, can deny her conscience, confirm her opinion, and come in agreement against her will. It is called duress and when one had the power to be objective even under duress, in its numerous degrees, they are demonstrating the qualities that courage, strength, integrity and wholesome character are made of.

Please remember: your actions and words (written and spoken) are an indication of the qualities of the building blocks that constitute your character.

Allan Palmer

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St.Kitts Person:

Now here is a example of a fine person speaking the simple truth. Will those reading this recognize the truth or will those to whom this applies just read and walk away. It's your strength of character that will prevail or fail. Bermuda as well as other islands see this same pattern. Those in power will do anything to further their advance but in the end when all they have is their reputation people will see them for what they are. I myself do not want to be judged in that light. Thanks for a great commentary.

Patterson:

Allan it is no secret that one is of the view that we as Vincentians are dysfunctional and that in our collective unconscious we have a vast, awesome and profound problem of self importance, especially when a Vincentian “holds a place of influence”.

This profound problem of self importance is best observed among government petty officials in SVG. The behaviour of these insignificant and unimportant petty officials is indeed lamentable and is truly found wanting. Their arrogant behaviour adds a whole new meaning to the word “Public Service.” For it is indeed one of a truly snooty and haughty behaviour! Their puffed-up superior air of self importance is indeed appalling and regrettable among public servants.

Indeed, dysfunctionalism could produce dysfunctional moral conduct but one has no personal observation or experience of such as yet among them however, do remember this Allan, the best of men are men at best and “The Heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: Who can know it?” The Bible (Kings James Version).

The Heart it is submitted is the centre of every man! The core of his/her being so to speak therefore, if as expressed there that the Heart is so deceitful and above all things and desperately wicked, what can we possible expect of us and our fellow men’s behaviour? Therefore do not be surprised at what we and other men do in life Allan.

A Roman Stoic had these things to say “Everything that happens happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.” Marcus Aurelious Antoninus.

“Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live” Marcus Aurelious Antoninus

“Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.” Marcus Aurelious Antoninus.

Allan I would substitute the word “fate” for the word God hence reading, accept the things to which God binds you, and love the people with whom God brings you together, in life’s journeys so “forgive and forget”! (Proverb)

You wrote Alan “Please remember: your actions and words (written and spoken) are an indication of the qualities of the building blocks that constitute your character.” One would add to that Allan so it is indeed.

The Man Jesus went even further Allan when replying to a certain criticism “Do not you also yet understand, that whatsoever enters in at the mouth goes into the belly, and is cast out…….?”

“But those things which proceed out of the mouth comes from the heart; and they defile the man.”

“For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies”: “These are the things which defile a man:…………….” The Bible (Kings James Version).

So Allan rather than adopt the stance of Heinrich Heine the German essayist (1797-1856) who said Quote “We should forgive our enemies, but only after they have been hanged first.” A better mind-set and approach and the stance to embrace is the one espoused by Robert F Kennedy former US Attorney General 1925-1968) Quote “ Always forgive your enemies-but never forget their names.”

Patterson
Kingstown Park
SVG.

Simon Anderson:

ALLAN PALMER MUST BE A VERY CONFUSED AND CONFLICTED INDIVIDUAL!!

The words he wrote above absolutely sound as though they could be written by ANYONE ELSE but Allan Palmer.

How could Palmer speak about LYING THROUGH OUR TEETH? Actually, I do applaud him for using the word, "OUR." That shows that he indeed, is a part of the lying process.

I have been saying the same thing here for close to two years -- with regard to lying. And Palmer is LIAR # 1 ON THIS FORUM.

Remember, Palmer is the one on June 3rd last year who wrote a letter to CNN entitled, "Who is Simon Anderson?" where he claimed to know me. Palmer does not know me, but he lyingly claims that we had several conversations.

Palmer even claimed that I was the Commissioner of Police in Bermuda, when he was a lowly officer. Nothing could be further from the truth. I was never a Police Officer, or even The Commissioner of Police....anywhere.

Palmer continues to lie about his days in the Bermuda Police force...just listen to him.

Palmer is a common criminal. He attempted to murder the Prime Minister of St Vincent.

Palmer went to jail in St Vincent for that crime.

Did I say that Palmer is a common criminal?

If I DIDN'T, I AM DOING SO NOW.

IF I DID, THEM REMEMBER THOSE WORDS WHENEVER YOU SEE THE NAME ALLAN PALMER

Allan Palmer:

Whenever I submit any of my writings to the Caribbean News, I will check a day or so after I submit that piece to see if it was publish, if it is, I will read it through to ensure that the thoughts are actually my thoughts, after that I may check back within a week or so if I check back at all to see who comment on my letter.

I will read every comment with the exception, those that is made by Simon Anderson, and if any of the comment dignify a response I will do them that honor but for the most part I don’t have to defend my writing from opposing views because that is a persons rights to hold and express an opinion that is contrary to those that I express.

Horace Williams AKA Simon Anderson is the brother of Colin John ex-police officer who was given a scholarship to do law on the government expense and is now working in the Director of Public office. That is another story for another day.

I have stopped reading Simon Anderson’s writing (letter or comments) for the simple fact: the man has nothing of importance to say. There is nothing one can learn from his writings.

Whenever I see the pen name Simon Anderson attached to a comment on any letter that was published, I laugh to see that I have become a preoccupation of Mr. Williams, at times I will see three and four comment back to back. I can imagine Horace going to bed and is trouble by his vision of me waking up and writing another of his rants. I can also imagine him having loud discussions of me. You see that is so because I am so important that I am the central theme on Horace’s mind. Horace Williams It is my desire and intent to keep you tremendously occupied with me: Allan Palmer.

O Horace Williams, Please Don’t disappoint me, I expect a speedy reply to this comment as a matter of fact; I expect three long replies, the central theme which must be His Royal Highness Emperor Allan Palmer. You are so predictable. Ahhhhh ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.

Simon Anderson:

PALMER, I understand your intellectual and communication deficiencies, but do not hold that against you.

With that in mind, I want to offer you some valuable assistance. HOW ABOUT THIS?

I will volunteer to assist you with the writing of a book....and you could chose the title yourself. Here are some suggestions:

1) How to kill a Prime Minister

2) How not to try to kill a Prime Minister

3) The plot to kill a Prime Minister

4) How I almost succeeded in killing a Prime Minister?

5) The plan to kill Ralph Gonsalves

6) My life experiences in Prison

7) Why I do not want to go back to jail

8) What dem boys did to me in Jail

Allan, please let me know which book title you prefer.

Peter:

COOeeeeeeee! SIMON ANDERSON, Does the very fat Gonsalves eat a load of crap?

“You are what you eat.”

Ref: Anthelme Brillat-Savarin wrote, in Physiologie du Gout, ou Meditations de Gastronomie Transcendante, 1826: "Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." [Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are].

The sexual, physical and mental abuse of women problem in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines really magnified after the United Labour Party won the right to form a government in 2001. But this is only the tip of the iceberg, government ministers and their family members are robbing ministry funds and resources, crime is out of control. Children are abused and boys as young as 3 years old sodomised. There can be no wonder that women seek asylum in Canada, if children were able to fly to Canada you would have hundreds claiming asylum as well.

The ULP is led by Dr. Ralph E. Gonsalves who is prime minister.

Gonsalves is a well known Caribbean Marxist communist, who liked to be recognised as such, since becoming prime minister he does not like to be called Marxist or communist, preferring the title of social scientist. He was a student of Walter Rodney at Mona University in Jamaica, Rodney a well known Marxist-Leninist professor teaching Political Science, Rodney was banned from entering Jamaica. The Jamaican government grew increasingly angry over Walter Rodney’s political work and described him as a "threat to national security". The Minister of Home Affairs was very blunt and direct on the nature of the 'threat' posed by Rodney: "In my term of office, and in reading the records of problems in this country. I have never come across a man who offers a greater threat to the security of this land than does Walter Rodney." The 'threat' posed by Rodney is even documented in declassified documents on Jamaican security reports on Rodney's early activity in Jamaica, one section of an Internal Security Review held that the Jamaican special Branch "received information that Rodney had been in touch with the Rastafarians in the Montego Bay area and was trying to incite them to attack the tourists in December which is the beginning of the peak of the tourist season."

Simon Anderson:

PUMPKIN EATER, THE SUBJECT STILL REMAINS ....OTTLEY HALL.

HOW MUCH MONEY DID YOU STEAL FROM THE PROJECT, PETER?

What happened to the money, Peter?

Peter:

COOeeeeeeeeeeee! SIMON ANDERSON, here is another WIKILEAKS release, I have hundreds of them. According to WICKHAM who features in this document, hundreds of Diplomatic passports have been given out as favor to financial funder's of the Caribbean country's from the Diaspora.

HOW MANY DIPLOMATIC PASSPORTS HAS GONSALVES ISSUED TO NONE DIPLOMATS, AT HOME OR ABROAD?

Here is one

IN 2001 GONSALVES ISSUED A DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT TO A MAN CALLED MORGAN, HE WAS NIETHER A DIPLOMAT OR EMPLOYED BY THE SVG GOVERNMENT. SUBSEQUENTLY MORGAN WAS ARRESTED IN 2004 AT A LONDON AIRPORT CARRYING A KILO OF COCAINE IN HIS LUGGAGE, HE WAS TRAVELLING ON THE VERY SAME DIPLOMATIC PASSPORT THAT GONSALVES HAD ISSUED TO HIM.

February 3, 2006 “CONFIDENTIAL” US Embassy cable from Mary Kramer, then US Ambassador to Barbados…
WikiLeaks US Embassy Cable: 06BRIDGETOWN239
VZCZCXYZ0052
PP RUEHWEB
DE RUEHWN #0239/01 0342042
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 032042Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1822
INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1369
RUEHCV/USDAO CARACAS VE
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J2 MIAMI FL
RUMIAAA/HQ USSOUTHCOM J5 MIAMI FL
C O N F I D E N T I A L BRIDGETOWN 000239
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2016
TAGS: PGOV PREL CPAS CVIS EINV OFDP PINR SNAR XL
SUBJECT: CARIBBEAN POLITICS: AN INSIDER’S VIEW
REF: A. BRIDGETOWN 85
¶B. 05 BRIDGETOWN 1216
¶C. 05 BRIDGETOWN 95
Classified By: Acting DCM Sheila Peters, for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
¶1. (C) Summary: Caribbean political campaigns are awash with money from a variety of sources, particularly wealthy expatriates seeking to influence governments, according to
regional political consultant Peter Wickham. The availability of money favors ruling parties and has dramatically changed the way campaigns are run, giving inordinate influence to outside consultants, as well as non-nationals and members of the Diaspora from whom much of the money is raised. In the extreme, this has allowed an American billionaire to virtually purchase the Government of Antigua and Barbuda. It has also led to special consideration and sweetheart deals for certain regional businesses; in some instances campaign contributors have been rewarded with diplomatic passports. Considering the diminutive size of governments in the Caribbean, a relatively small campaign contribution by U.S. standards promises great benefits for the contributor and, unfortunately, provides increasing opportunities for corruption.
End summary.
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Money in Politics
—————–
¶2. (C) The amount of money spent on political campaigns in the Caribbean has increased with each election, according to Peter Wickham, a consultant who has worked for various governments and political parties throughout the region. With no campaign finance laws or disclosure requirements present in most countries, political parties are free to accept funding from any source, including wealthy expatriates seeking to curry favor for their business and personal interests. The most extreme example is American billionaire Allan Stanford, who has spent millions to virtually buy Antigua and Barbuda by bankrolling either party and providing funding for Government projects. Influence does not have to come at such a high price, however, considering the small size of the countries in the region. A sudden injection of US$350,000 in the last two weeks of St. Vincent’s December 2005 election campaign allowed the ruling Unity Labor Party to sway voters in a handful of hard fought parliamentary races by helping people pay overdue bills, fix leaking roofs, and buy groceries.
¶3. (C) Money has changed the manner in which campaigns are run, with outside consultants such as Wickham having great influence in countries where political decisions used to depend solely on the opinions of local party leaders. Wickham agreed with the assessment of other observers, who have noted how campaigns once depended on rousing oratory by stump speakers but now feature expensive rallies with musical acts and other entertainment; the political speakers are an annoyance that the audience must endure. Campaigns also rely on in-kind donations from local supporters or members of the diaspora. Shipping containers full of hats, T-shirts, posters and other campaign paraphernalia typically arrive from the U.S. as elections approach. Money also allows parties to fly in supporters from overseas. Wickham believes the ruling party flew about 400 people to St. Vincent from the U.S. for the recent election. Dominica, however, is the
major offender with both parties flying in several planeloads of people from the U.S. for its May 2005 election.
————————————–
Dominica Diplomatic Passports for Sale
————————————–
¶4. (C) In poor, economically strapped Dominica, well over US$2 million was spent on the 2005 election campaign, with Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit’s ruling Dominica Labor Party (DLP) having the lion’s share. Although the opposition charged that China funded the ruling party, most of the money came from wealthy Caribbean expatriates. The Government did not deny, for example, opposition charges that a non-Dominican living in the Cayman Islands provided the ruling DLP with funds in exchange for a diplomatic passport (ref B). According to Wickham, the largest amount of money came from Leroy Parris, Chairman of CLICO Holdings Limited, a Barbados-based insurance and real estate company. The Government rewarded Parris with a particularly friendly business environment and his company will soon finance construction of a new housing development in Dominica. Parris was also named a “Goodwill Ambassador” who will help attract investment to the country.
¶5. (C) Note: The Government of Dominica’s interpretation of “Goodwill Ambassador” appears to include real diplomatic status. In September 2005, the Dominica MFA sent Post a diplomatic note requesting that it issue a visa in the diplomatic passport of “Ambassador at Large” Parris. Despite Post’s repeated requests for an explanation of the capacity in which Parris, a Barbados citizen, will serve as a Dominica diplomat, the MFA failed to provide an answer. Post recently returned the passport to the MFA without the requested visa. Dominica also continues to have an active economic citizenship program, through which individuals from various countries of concern have previously purchased passports.
End note.
——————————–
Ralph Gonsalves Sure Can Cuss…
——————————–
¶6. (C) In St. Vincent, Wickham works for Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves’s ruling Unity Labor Party (ULP), where the PM was closely involved in planning the recent campaign and personally reviewed each opinion poll and discussed the results with his advisors. Wickham is impressed with Gonsalves’s intelligence and attention to detail, although the PM can get too involved in minutia and is often openly critical of those around him. “When you have been cussed out by Ralph you have really been cussed at,” said Wickham. He does not believe that voting irregularities allowed the ruling ULP to win three closely contested parliamentary seats in the December election, as the opposition has claimed (ref A). Instead, Wickham is of the opinion that it was theaforementioned infusion of cash and flying in of voters that allowed the ruling party to win the three races his polling showed they could very well have lost.
——————————-
…But Not at Marijuana Growers
——————————-
¶7. (C) Marijuana growers have considerable influence in St. Vincent, where they are not necessarily considered undesirables but can be quite prominent people, according to Wickham. He thinks there is some truth to the rumors that that certain individuals tied to the drug trade provided funding to Gonsalves’s ULP, at least during the 2001 election that brought it to power (ref C). In Wickham’s assessment, Gonsalves has to appear to be doing just enough to tackle marijuana production to satisfy the USG and CARICOM member states. “Vincentian ganja is a big thing” in the Caribbean, said Wickham, who believes that it is difficult for the Government of St. Vincent to crack down on one of the
country’s few lucrative industries.
——————————–
St. Lucia Politics Up in the Air
——————————–
¶8. (C) St. Lucia Prime Minister Kenny Anthony is hard to read; his comments during political strategy sessions amount to little and it is unclear how engaged the PM is, in Wickham’s assessment of another of his clients. Wickham offered that the current political situation in St. Lucia, where a Member of Parliament who represented a small third party recently resigned her seat, is very unsettled. The MP had intended her resignation as a means to force PM Anthony to call a national election earlier than it is constitutionally due in December 2006. Anthony declined to do so, but his ruling party could look weak if the opposition United Workers’ Party, led by former Prime Minister John Compton, wins the by-election that must be held by April to determine who will fill the empty parliamentary seat. The outcome could have a significant impact on the upcoming national election.
———————-
Biographic Information
———————-
¶9. (U) Peter Wickham is the Director of Caribbean Development Research Services, Inc. (CADRES), a Barbados-based consulting firm specializing in public opinion polling. Among CADRES’s clients are a variety of corporations, international organizations, and media outlets. Wickham is best known for his work as a political consultant, conducting polls for governments and political parties throughout the Caribbean. CADRES recently opened an office in Trinidad and will soon begin working in Guyana. Wickham identifies himself as a liberal and his clients are typically labor parties. He says, however, that it is preferable to work for ruling parties, regardless of ideology, because they tend to pay their bills. Wickham is also a political commentator who appears on TV and radio in Barbados and writes a weekly column for the “Nation,” the country’s leading newspaper. He completed his bachelor’s (Political Science and Law, with honors, 1990) and master’s (Political Science, 1993) degrees at the University of the West Indies, where he also served as a Liaison Officer for the University of California’s Education Abroad Program. The affable Wickham has met periodically with Emboffs over the past several years to
offer his views on a variety of issues.
¶10. (C) Comment: The increasing availability of campaign funds to Caribbean political leaders, combined with a lack of legal control over how the money is raised, makes for a
troubling situation in a region where many turn a blind eye to corruption. A few hundred thousand dollars, a pittance to a wealthy businessperson in Barbados or the Cayman Islands, could buy a great deal of influence in one of the small, economically troubled countries in the region. Some of this influence may be purchased to further legitimate business concerns, but as in the case of marijuana growers, or even the bearers of passports to which they are not entitled, the influence could be used for more nefarious purposes.
End
comment.
KRAMER

PERHAPS NOW IS ALSO AN APPROPRIATE TIME TO ASK WHERE THE US$1 MILLION IN CASH CAME FROM THAT JULIAN FRANCIS TOOK TO THE NCB BANK. MUST OF BEEN DIRTY BECAUSE THAT MUCH LOOSE CASH DOESN'T COME IN AN OLD BAG, IT COME VIA A BANK TRANSFER?